The New Yorker reflects on the philosophy of joy in Tran Anh Hung's The Tastes of Mankind

The kitchen in Dodin's manor, one of the main settings of Tran Anh Hung's film Muon Vi Nhan Gian - Photo: ICF Films

The American magazine The New Yorker wrote about the film The Taste of Things by Vietnamese-American director Tran Anh Hung like that.

Most of the film is about, or appears to be about, food and drink, and is set in, or around, and near a French manor house, writes Anthony Lane in his article “A Philosophy of Pleasure in “The Taste of Things” in The New Yorker.

Blurred boundaries of the world

The house is headed by Dodin (Benoît Magimel), a gourmet, with a loyal cook, Eugénie (Juliette Binoche), although from the start there is an unusual blurring of social boundaries.

The kitchen was Eugénie's domain, however Dodin was often found there, helping prepare meals, and at times he took on the entire task, preparing a one-of-a-kind dinner just for her.

As the cook sat down, resplendent in her butter-yellow dress with a high lace collar, and enjoyed her meal, one had to ask, who was serving whom? Occasionally, Dodin would come to Eugénie's bedroom door, asking permission to enter.

Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel in Tran Anh Hung's The Taste of Man - Photo: IFC Films

There's no sense of master and servant, but rather it's as if the two of them have agreed on a secret romantic relationship, and the question is why they never got married, or whether they ever got married.

Tran Anh Hung's peaceful kitchen

The first half hour of the film revolves around the preparation of dinner for Dodin and his friends, carried out by Eugénie.

Although invited to join in the fun, Eugénie refused to participate, saying, "I always talk to you through the dishes I cook."

The kitchen in Dodin's manor, one of the main settings of Tran Anh Hung's film Muon Vi Nhan Gian - Photo: ICF Films

Normally, if there are too many chefs in a TV show, whether real or fictional, you will immediately think of a dramatic scene with screaming, fire and smoke… but Tran Anh Hung's film brings a surprising calm and clarity, writes Anthony Lane.

The movements in that kitchen were purposeful and quick, but not hurried, as if practiced perfectly long ago.

Tran Anh Hung's interest in food, and how it can both unite and divide its connoisseurs, was evident in his debut work, The Scent of Green Papaya, released in 1993.

Although filmed in France, this movie is set in Vietnam.

Frequent tracking shots in The Scent of Green Papaya give the film a sense of calm, but there are also close-ups that capture the glistening moment of lard-covered greens sautéing in a hot pan.

Director Tran Anh Hung and actor Benoît Magimel on set - Photo: IFC Films

In Muon Vi Nhan Gian , Tran Anh Hung aims for a more complex level, with the camera moving around Eugénie's kitchen as if under her confident command, and even climbing over the edge of the pot to inspect – in fact, to inhale the aroma of the delicacies inside.

In The Scent of Green Papaya , the story revolves around a little girl named Mui who moves from the countryside to the city to work as a servant.

In Muon Tac Nhan Gian , a girl named Pauline (played by Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire) learns to cook. And she is a genius.

“Mushrooms, dill, tomatoes, oranges, wine,” Pauline rattled off the ingredients in the bourguignonne sauce she sampled.

Pauline (played by Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire) and Dodin (played by Benoît Magimel) in The Tastes of Man by Tran Anh Hung - Photo: Curiosa Films

However, Muon Vi Nhan Gian is not a culinary film.

“So what kind of film is this? I would say it's a conservative, heartfelt film that depicts the combination of fine craftsmanship and sheer hard work in the name of fun,” writes Anthony Lane.

“ The human condition is interwoven—in ways I don't anticipate and won't reveal—with the darkness of illness and grief,” the author also reveals.

Trailer of the movie "A Thousand Flavors of Humanity" by Tran Anh Hung

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/the-new-yorker-ngam-ve-triet-ly-niem-vui-trong-muon-vi-nhan-gian-cua-tran-anh-hung-20240316133648132.htm